Various antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, biocidal and/or antichemical (hereinafter contaminant resistant) materials and coatings are known. In fabrication of a contaminant resistant plastic product, a single biocide may be added to a plastic resin which may then be blended, melted and molded or extruded into the final product. In fabrication of a fabric having contaminant resistant properties, a single biocide (which may be a well-known biocide or a biocide which is currently in research, such as a fullerene, for example and without limitation), may be added to a fabric substrate by foaming, padding, spraying or dipping. In fabrication of ionic contaminant resistant agents (such as silver ions, for example), the ions may be embedded in a zeolite structure. Recent developments in nanotechnology have enabled embedding of silver ions in various materials such as fabric and plastic, for example. During the preparation process, silver nanoparticles may be immobilized on fibers using the layer-by-layer deposition method. This step may involve dipping or treatment of the fibers in various solutions.
The contaminant resistant efficacy of a contaminant resistant coating may be limited by the use of a single type of contaminant resistant material in the coating. Moreover, the mixing of various contaminant resistant agents in a resin may neutralize or precipitate the agents, possibly resulting in a less potent contaminant resistant coating or structure than would be attained using a single contaminant resistant agent. Combination of multiple types of contaminant resistant materials in a selected pattern on a surface of a structure or in a coating, and optimization of the three-dimensional parameters of the pattern, may optimize the contaminant resistant efficacy of the contaminant resistant materials.
Therefore, a contaminant resistant coating deposition method and structure is needed in which the three-dimensional parameters of a pattern of contaminant resistant materials in a coating may be controlled at multiple scales of dimension to optimize the contaminant resistant efficacy of two or more of the contaminant resistant materials in the coating.